Electrical conductor



' (No Model.)

L. DAFT. v A ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR.

Patented Apr. 26; 1887,

.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO DAFT, OF PLAINFIELD, NE\V JERSEY.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,676, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed January 23, 1886. Serial No. 189,501. No model.) I

[T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO DAFT, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and now residing at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to properly insulate electrical conductors, especially such as are used to transmit currents to traveling motors; and my invention consists in providing the supports with clamps for securing the conductor, and insulating the supports by means of plugs of non-conducting material, protecting the latter by hoods, and in otherwise constructing the parts, as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing an electrical conductor and its supporting and insulating connections illustrating my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the end of one of the supporting-shanks; Fig. 4, a section illustrating a modified form of hood; Fig. 5, an elevation showing the conductor and its supporting devices in connection with an overhead support.

The conductor A consists either of a rail, as shown, or is of any other suitable shape, and is provided with a rib or projection, a, for attachment to the supports, each of the latter consisting of a rod, bar, or shank, B, terminating in clamping-jaws adapted to receive between them the rib a, and to be brought upon the latter with a clamping effect, the rib and jaws being relatively constructed so as to engage with each other.

In the construction shown, one of the jaws, b, is secured to or forms part of the shank B, while the other jaw, b, is separate from the shank,and is held in place and clamped against the rib a by means of ascrew-bolt, d, provided with a nut, 6, so that by loosening the nut without removing the bolt the jaw b may be so loosened as to permit the conductor to be detached.

In some instances the jaw I) may be hinged to the shank B, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, or bothjaws may be hinged to the shank, and two or more screw-bolts may be used, in which case each jaw has two perforations, as

shown inFig. 3, and any other suitable fastening device may be substituted for the screwbolt.

In order to insulate the support, I connect each shank to a plug, G, of hard rubber or other suitable insulating material, the connection being formed in any suitable manner-as, for instance, by threading the end of theshank to fit a screw-socket in the plug, the latter being secured in a stationary position.

To prevent the plug 0 from becoming wet during storms, and therefore more effectually insulate the conductor and its supports, I prefer to use a hood, D, having a socket or other attachment within it for the plug 0, and surrounding and extending below the plug, thereby shielding it and protecting it, and this hood may be the means of securing sufficient strength for the suspension of heavy conductors subjected to more or less mechanical strains, by providing it with ahub, h, having a threaded socket, 00, adapted to receive the end of a screw-bolt, by which the hub is bolted to a projecting arm, J, Fig. 5, or other sup port.

The plug 0 may be secured in the hub of the hood in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to provide the hub with an exterior thread, so as to adapt it to a threaded socket in the hub, as shown.

The hood D may be of insulating material, as rubber, glass, 850.; but where great strength is required it may be made of metal, the plug 0 serving to secure the desired insulation, and it will be evident that the hood, in connection with the plug and shank B, may be used for supporting conductors of different characters in different position.

In Fig. 5 the conductor is shown as supported in an elevated position by a standard, K, from which the arm J extends.

The hood D may be of different forms, two of the saidforms being shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and another form in dotted lines, Fig. 4, which shows the hood as globular witha contracted opening at the bottom.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim 1. An electrical conductor provided with an integral rib or projection, in combination with a support provided with fixed and movable jaws constructed to clamp the said rib or aninsnlating screw-plug connecting the shank projection, substantially as described. and hood, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a conductor having In testimony whereof I have signed my name a projection and a supporting-shank, termito this specification in the presence of two sub- 5 nating in a fixed jaw and provided with a scribing witnesses.

movable jaw, and means for clamping the same against the projection of the conductor, LEO DAFT' substantially as set forth. Witnesses: 3. The combination, with a conductor, of a 1 JOHN N. BRUNS [o shank supporting the conductor, a hood, and V FREDK. H. REED. 

